


Head Over Feet

by servatia83



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, old fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-26
Updated: 2015-10-26
Packaged: 2018-04-28 06:29:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5081224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/servatia83/pseuds/servatia83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Minerva hears something that shocks her deeply. When it turns out to be wrong, she decides to finally take that leap of faith.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((This is something I know I wrote the first Advent weekend 2005.  
> (I’m not completely nuts. I know that because it was the winter before HBP came out, and I was on a fair where I had to just sit there and exist for two whole days, basically. I used that time for writing. A lot. That fair’s in my village every year and it is always the first Advent weekend, so it’s easy to nail it down.)  
> The reason for the rating is the second chapter. The two were written independently, but actually belong together.  
> This takes place sometime during OotP/HBP.  
> Title’s from the Alanis Morissette song.))

Minerva McGonagall had been sitting motionless for seven hours now. She had been staring into her glass of water all the time, trying to make herself accept the truth: Alastor had been killed.

It took all the willpower in the world to stand up and leave the room. Automatically she went to the second floor. Every member of the Order of the Phoenix had a few rooms there in case they spent a night at Headquarters. She opened the door to Alastor Moody’s quarters and entered. In here it seemed even more unreal that he should be dead. She knew that he had always taken flight into this room from her, and she felt sorry for having raged at him so often. But, she reminded herself, it had been the only way how she could have coped with the fact that he disliked her. Whenever she had entered a room he had left, and the others could say what they wanted, that wasn’t a coincidence.

Minerva placed the glass on the bedside table and dropped onto the bed. And suddenly, here beside the Sneakoscope resting next to her glass and that trunk in the corner, realisation washed over her. She felt tears filling her eyes and failed to fight them down. She hated to cry, but now she couldn’t help it. She sank onto the bed, buried her face in Alastor’s pillow and wept, silently, until exhaustion carried her away into sleep.

Ϡ

Downstairs the front door opened and Alastor Moody limped in, closely followed and watched by Dumbledore. ‘Here of all places you say I am safe,’ Alastor said quietly.

Dumbledore ignored the remark. ‘Do you need anything?’

Alastor shook his head. ‘Thanks, I’m fine. Have you told anyone yet?’

‘No, I tried to contact Remus, but he didn’t answer.’ Alastor nodded. He had been attacked, and the people who had been with him had thought he was dead. He was sure that the whole Order was informed about his death already. When Dumbledore had come to fetch his body he had found him barely alive. The others couldn’t be blamed. The best Healer in the world would have thought he was dead. There was only one rather nasty spell that did that trick, and it had not been used for fifty years. Now, however, someone had dug it out, and Dumbledore had been wise enough to realise that.

‘That’s the second time you’ve saved my life,’ Alastor said.

‘Yes. I’m terribly sorry.’

Alastor grinned. The first time he had told Dumbledore that he should have left him to die. ‘Nah, I’ve learnt my lesson. It was worth it.’

‘I’m delighted to hear that.’

‘Who’s talking?’ A young witch emerged from the kitchen they had been approaching. For a moment she stared at Alastor and Dumbledore, looking as if she was going to scream, but luckily she thought better of it. Silently, with a sideways glance at the portrait of Mrs Black, she dashed forwards and flung her arms around Alastor’s neck.

‘Tonks, get off me, how much do you think an old man can bear?’ he asked, and she laughed.

‘Why on earth …’ she began but didn’t finish the sentence. ‘Why on earth are you not dead’ would be a rather rude question.

‘Ever heard of the Everlasting Sleep?’ he asked.

Tonks covered her mouth with her hands. ‘I think that has not been used since Grindelwald’s defeat,’ she whispered. ‘It was only known to him and the people who were close to him.’

‘Correct, never mind a spy or two,’ replied Alastor, ‘and what does that mean?’

‘That at least one of his old followers is still out there and on Voldemort’s side.’

‘Aurors,’ said Dumbledore, smiling.

Alastor patted Tonks’s shoulder. ‘I’m going upstairs, don’t feel like Apparating through all of England right now. Mind, if this house kills me over night, don’t forget that I have warned you about it.’

Ϡ

Alastor didn’t like to admit it, but he was exhausted. Every single muscle in his body ached, and he decided to sleep until noon. He changed quickly and sat down on his bed, silently muttering the incantation that unfastened his wooden leg. He lay down, sighed and looked at the ceiling. ‘Who the hell is that?’ asked a hushed voice right next to him, and Alastor jumped. He had his wand in his hand instantly, shooting a Stunner into the direction of the speaker. ‘ _Lumos_ ,’ he muttered then. His eyes fell on Minerva McGonagall and he frowned. ‘ _Ennervate_ ,’ he said. ‘What do you think you are doing here?’

No answer. Her eyes were fixed on his face, and he could feel the rage swelling in them almost physically. ‘How dare you?’ she said at last, her voice thick with anger. ‘How dare you ridicule Alastor’s memory? Who are you, you …’

‘Hang on, I’m not disguised,’ said he quickly. He didn’t want to hear whatever she had been going to call him. ‘I haven’t been killed.’

McGonagall looked as though she was going to hit him. ‘Do you find this funny?’ she asked fiercely, and he shook his head.

‘Definitely not,’ he said. ‘Everlasting Sleep, you’re old enough to know that.’

Again, she didn’t answer at once, then she nodded. ‘Very well,’ she said. ‘Your demise would have been regrettable for the Order. Good night.’

‘Aren’t you even interested if I know now how it’s done, having been on the receiving end?’

Her lips opened and closed. She was torn, but eventually, her curiosity won. ‘Well?’

‘Voiceless Killing curse.’ He snorted. ‘Not like we haven’t always known that the Unforgivables do weird things, done voiceless. Ah, it’s always easy in hindsight.’

McGonagall nodded and walked to the door. ‘Wait, what have you been doing here?’ he asked. ‘You were trespassing.’

She stopped but didn’t look at him when she spoke. ‘I’ve been crying my eyes out over your pillow. Satisfied?’

‘Crying? You?’ Alastor stared at her. This was something he failed to imagine. ‘Why? You don’t even like me, berating me whenever you get a chance.’

‘Well, you never hear much of it, you always leave the room when I enter,’ she retorted.

‘Because you’re always shouting at me,’ he said defiantly. ‘Why would you of all people be sobbing into my pillow?’

‘Because I love you, you idiot of an Auror.’ Minerva closed her eyes. She had not intended to make a fool out of herself by telling him that. ‘Now have a laugh at me before you go to sleep, that’s supposed to be healthy.’

‘I’ll certainly not have a laugh at you. Still don’t find this here funny, but I fail to understand.’

‘Are you deaf or do you have problems with our language?’

‘No, but exactly this kind of talk from you makes your last statement slightly incredible,’ he said.

‘Just forget it. Why do you think it’s appropriate to keep talking about something I never meant to say?’

‘Because I love you too, you idiot of a teacher,’ Alastor growled gently. He raised his eyebrows at her. ‘I need water.’

‘There, on the bedside table. I’ve brought it up.’ He nodded and took the glass. She watched him with wide eyes while he took a big sip. ‘Are you sure you are Alastor Moody?’

‘Come here,’ he said, and she approached again. ‘I’ve tried to get your attention ever since we were at school, but you wouldn’t look out of your books, and if you did, you were never looking at me.’

‘I’ve been looking, but you never looked back,’ she said.

‘Look again,’ he replied. ‘I’m an old man.’

‘What am I then? I’m two days older.’

He grinned. ‘I assume you meant what you said?’ She nodded. ‘Fine. I just don’t understand why.’

‘Neither do I. I mean, when Crouch was impersonating you, I thought I had overcome that school days crush, but the next year it was all back. You have no idea how guilty I felt. For ten months a part of me knew it wasn’t you, but the rest of me didn’t realise that.’

‘He must have done something wrong then, that’s good to know,’ said Alastor. ‘I just wonder what I am doing right.’ She shrugged, looking at her feet. ‘Minerva, I am a cripple.’

‘You are the bravest man I’ve ever known.’

‘That doesn’t change the fact.’

‘Does it occur to you that I don’t care?’

Alastor smiled sadly. ‘Are you telling me you want this?’ he asked, pulling back the blanket to reveal the stump that remained of his left leg.

Minerva sat down beside him and took his face into her hands. ‘I want _this_ ,’ she said.

Alastor looked at her for a moment, then, without thinking, he placed his lips on hers, gently. He felt her parting her lips and deepened the kiss, pulling her close. After what seemed an eternity he withdrew. ‘In that case, don’t go,’ he whispered, and Minerva smiled.

‘Never,’ she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Proofreading this was interesting. What sounds like a quote or reference here, isn’t one because it was always there.))


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((The Father Christmas line is something I actually say a lot in one form or another. Usually to those people with folders, trying to get donations out of you. Funny, how they stare at you and back away slowly when you tell them something like this with a serious expression and a conspiratorial voice.))

It was unnerving. Minerva and Alastor had been together for a month now, but in the last days he had become very quiet and rather irritable. It was not as if he had ever shouted at _her_ , but the others had a hard time with him. When he was with her, he was silent, very silent. He seemed to have his mind on something that troubled him terribly. Right now he was lying next to her, staring into space. Minerva wondered if he would realise that she was there when she started to tap-dance. ‘Alastor, we can certainly rob Father Christmas, but I think we should throw the point up before we even think of counting the wall against the hand.’

Alastor turned his head and stared at her. ‘Are you all right?’

‘I am, but you are not,’ said Minerva. ‘What is it that troubles you so?’

‘Your grammar, at the moment,’ he replied, half joking.

‘I just wanted to make sure I have your attention. Go on, tell me.’

‘It’s nothing,’ he muttered.

Minerva pursed her lips and leant over him. ‘Look, I was thinking you trust me, you’ve accepted water from me, so what are you fussing about?’

He gave her a pained smile. ‘You want to go further, don’t you?’

Now it was Minerva’s turn to stare. ‘I haven’t got the slightest idea what you are talking about.’

‘You wish to move on to more intimate things.’

‘Do you?’ Minerva saw him nodding and smiled. ‘I do think we are old enough.’ Alastor winced slightly, and she frowned. ‘So?’

‘Minerva, it has been ages since I have been with a woman,’ he blurted out. ‘I do not know if I still can …’ He fell silent.

‘You are blushing,’ said Minerva unnecessarily before she kissed him gently on the forehead. ‘Listen, I am not going to leave if your physical responses aren’t level with the emotional ones. Do you think I am that profane?’

‘I do not think you are profane at all,’ he said. ‘I mean there are certain potions that, well …’

‘Alastor, there will be plenty of time for you to start talking about potions when you know what you can and can’t do,’ Minerva said briskly. ‘You should sleep, you have been staring at the ceiling for long enough.’

‘I just really want to be with you,’ said Alastor.

‘But you are with me,’ she whispered, nestling close. ‘Go to sleep now.’ She kissed his temple, placing her hand on his stomach. She smiled gently when his breath slowed down, and only after some time she started to caress his chest with her hand. She knew that when he was dreading so much to fail her, he was bound to, and she knew from what she had noticed in the last nights that there was no need for that fear. She moved her hand downwards, careful not to wake him; not yet. She brought it gently between his legs, stroking him there, scratching lightly over the fabric of his pyjamas, until she felt the effect of her touch in form of the growing bulge. She smiled again, leaning over him to kiss his lips. ‘Alastor,’ she whispered, and he opened his eyes a bit. Again she kissed him, deeply this time, her tongue brushing against his, telling him that she wanted more and that he would be able to give her that. She looked at his face and saw love and burning desire there.

‘Minerva, are you quite sure?’ he asked, and she laughed softly.

‘I told you I think we are old enough.’ Again, he blushed, but not because he was ashamed this time. There was no need for that. He reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. He kissed her, his tongue exploring her mouth, while he dragged up her nightgown. Gently they freed each other from their sleeping attire, taking their own sweet time. Alastor kissed her breasts, closing his eyes to master his desire for her. He didn’t want to rush this. His hand moved downwards, giving her all time of the world to stop him if she wanted to. He caressed her thighs and moved his hand up again, resting it below her navel before moving further. He was gentler than Minerva had thought he would be, his touch incredibly light. She moaned, shifting a bit so that his hand went further, and he grinned.

‘Naughty you are,’ he whispered, and she smiled at him.

‘You make me so,’ said she, her voice husky with desire. Alastor kissed her when he slid his fingers into her. She was already more than ready for him, which aroused him even more. Her left hand found his hardness and she stroked him gently, until he pulled away because he couldn’t stand it any longer. Both were breathing hard and longing for release.

‘Minerva, my love, you will have to …’ he began. ‘I mean I cannot … er.’

Minerva smiled and kissed him on the forehead. ‘I know,’ she said and went into a kneeling position over him. She took his hardness into her hand, guiding him inside her. For a moment she remained motionless when she had sheathed him completely. She wanted this to last. Minerva lay down on him and kissed him gently when she started rocking her hips almost painfully slowly. He moved against her, trying to speed her up, but she gave a wicked smile. ‘Patience, love,’ she breathed. He groaned in reply, wrapping his arms around her as if that would bring her closer still. She was unnervingly quiet, but her eyes mirrored her desire clearly enough.

She didn’t manage to keep this slow pace for long. She began to rock her hips faster against him, meeting his thrusts with abandon. She felt her release building up inside her when he moved faster still and groaned loudly. The feeling of him spilling himself inside her brought her over the edge, too. She shouted his name when she came, thinking she would pass out from the pleasure.

For some time they remained joined, breathing hard and looking at each other. When her breath was more or less normal again she slid down from him, resting her forehead against his shoulder. He turned to his side and looked at her, pulling her close to him. There was no need for words right now. They could be torn apart every day, and they knew it, but they also knew that the other’s death would be even more painful if they didn’t take what might be their last chance to be together. After a short time they fell asleep, cuddled into each other. Just a moment before sleep claimed Alastor, he realised that since she was there he slept through the nights without waking at some time with his wand in his hand, not knowing what had woken him but his heart pounding somewhere at his throat.


End file.
